In the past week, climate change has remained a major focus in the United States, with both policy and environmental shifts making headlines. One of the most significant recent developments comes from Washington, where President Trump has signed a series of executive orders aimed at reviving the coal industry. Standing alongside coal miners at the White House, the President declared intentions to expedite leases for coal mining on federal lands and streamline permitting processes. These actions are designed to roll back regulations from the previous administration that were aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions and to position coal as a central energy source. However, many experts and advocates warn that this move threatens to undermine national and global efforts to curb emissions and may reverse progress on climate goals, especially as extreme climate events become more common and severe, with deaths from heat exposure on the rise in the United States, according to a report from the Center for American Progress and ongoing coverage by Earth Org.

In state-level news, the US Climate Alliance, composed of several governors committed to climate action, has announced securing nearly two point six billion dollars in new funding to advance renewable energy and climate resilience initiatives. This comes amidst ongoing federal actions that many see as potentially weakening state authority over environmental regulations, sparking debate about the balance between national policy and state-level climate leadership, as reported by the US Climate Alliance.

From an environmental perspective, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has confirmed that La Nina conditions in the Pacific have ended, with ocean temperatures returning to neutral. This shift could influence weather patterns across the United States through the rest of the year, potentially impacting everything from agriculture to drought frequency in key regions. In the Pacific Northwest, for example, farmers and water managers are working on adaptive water management plans in response to recurring droughts, underscoring the need for long-term strategies to cope with climate variability.

Meanwhile, preparations continue for the second annual Climate and Health Summit hosted by the National Academy of Medicine in Washington DC, set for late April. This event will bring together leading climate and health experts to discuss the evolving impact of climate disasters, including lessons learned from wildfires in California and the intensifying hurricane seasons affecting the Gulf Coast.

Globally, all eyes are turning to Brazil as it prepares to host the thirtieth United Nations Climate Change Conference later this year in the Amazon, drawing attention to forest preservation and the critical role of carbon sinks.

Overall, the United States finds itself at a crossroads, where federal policy shifts, state initiatives, and climate science developments converge to shape the nation’s approach to confronting climate change while the impacts—rising temperatures, extreme weather, and growing health risks—continue to underscore the urgency of decisive action.